Autographic register



Jan. 20, 1942. c, MANUEL 2,270,739

AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Filed June 14, 1940 s SheetS -Sheet 1 Jan. 20,1942.

Filed June 14, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 i i a /5 6 5 I a I 456 I -5 ,1 45446: i v I p i d i o 45 I: 15

I vgnio-q Charles J. manual, I

Patented Jan. 20, 1942 AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Charles J. Manuel, Dover, N.H., assignor to American Sales Book Company, Inc., Niagara Falls, N. Y.,a corporation of Delaware Application June 14, 1940, Serial No. 340,506

14 Claims.

invention relates to improvements in writing machines, such asautographic registers and the like, more particularly to an improvedmeans for mounting the strip feeding mechanism, and for mounting thecover or covers so as to provide convenient access into the interior.

It is a general object of the invention to provide for machines of theclassmentioned an improved and simplified mounting for the strip.

feeding mechanismv so as to facilitate installation and to reduceproduction costs, while, at the same time, improving the operatingqualities.

A further object is to provide for machines of the class mentioned animproved mounting for the cover or covers whereby they can be easilyraised to providev access to the interior of the machine for threadingthe record strips into operative position, and for other purposes.

A further object is to provide for machines of the class mentioned animproved arrangement of supporting brackets for the feed mechanism andcovers, resulting in structural simplification.

A further object is to provide for machines of the class mentioned animproved arrangement of supporting brackets for the strip feedingmechanism that are attached to th casing walls in such a manner as toform a sufficiently rigid support that is, at the same time, light andof relatively simple construction.

A further object is to provide for machines of the class mentioned animproved and simplified support for the writing platen whereby thelatter is supported in normal operative position and can be moved intoraised position for ease in threading the record strips thereover. andinto the feeding mechanism.

Qther objects and advantages of the invention will be in part pointedout in the following detailed description of an illustrative butpreferred embodiment of the invention, and will be in part obvious asthe disclosure proceeds.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,combination of elements, and arrangement of parts,which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope ofthe applicaticnof which will be iIldicated in the claims.

For a more complete disclosure of the nature,

objects and advantages of the invention,.reference is had to thesubjoined detailed description Fig.2 is a transverse vertical sectiontakenap.-,

proximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 4, viewedin the direction of thearrows.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section taken substantiallyon the line 3-3 of Fig. 4, viewed in the direction of the arrows, partsbeing shown in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section of the machine, parts beingshown in elevation.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation showing the mounting of the feed rollhousing and one of the supporting brackets for the feeding mechanism,parts being in longitudinal vertical section.

Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional and bottom plan View showing the mountingof the feed roll housing.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the mounting for the platen.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the controlling cam for the stripfolding finger.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the brackets for supporting thefeeding mechanism and covers; and

Fig. 10 is a plan View of a section of record strip, such as used in themachine.

Referring to the drawings for a detailed description of the illustrativeembodiment there shown, the invention is incorporated in an autographicregister of the type disclosed in the Sheppard et al. Patent No.2,183,778 issued December 19, 1939, upon which the present invention isan improvement. The autographic register embodies a casing preferably ofsheet metal.

having side walls It], end walls I l' and the bottom l2; A transversepartition i3 having longitudinal walls l3a divides the interior of thecasing into a rearward supply compartment for housing a Zigzag supplypack M of continuous interleaved record strips l5, and a forwardcompartment for receiving in zigzag folded condition one of the stripsl5 that is folded therein into the file pack l6. Each record strip I5has feed controlling apertures I5a cooperating with the feed mechanismand also transverse weakened severance lines [51) dividing it into alongitudinal series of form sheets.

Overlying the compartment for the supply pack is a platen I! over whichthe strips are drawn and supported thereon in writing position. Transferstrips for interleavement in transfer relation with the record stripsare carried in a transfer stripsupplyhousing l8 attached to onelongitudinal margin of the platen l1. Strip con trolling and tensioningmeans (not shown) for the record strips I5 may be mounted at the outeror rearward end of the platen I! in the space provided therefor in themanner disclosed in the Sheppard et a1. patent referred to. overlyin theplaten I! is a cover I9 for the casing, and there is a similar forwardcover 20 overlying the forward or filing compartment. The cover |'9 hasan opening through which the record strips on the platen I! arepresented for inscription reception.

Strip feeding mechanism for the record strip assembly I includes arotary feed shaft 2| on which circular feed disks 22 are firmly mountedfor rotation therewith. The feed disks engage at their peripheries witha feed roll 23 rotatably mounted in a feed roll carrier or housing 24.The feed shaft 2| also carries a disk 25 on which is pivoted a stripfolding finger 26 adaptedto engage in centrally disposed apertures |5cin the file strip for folding the latter in zigzag condition within thefile compartment. The filing finger 26 is controlled by a compressionspring 21 and a cam 28. This strip folding or filing mechanism isdescribed in the Sheppard et a1. patent referred to, and need not bedescribed in detail herein.

Supporting brackets 29, preferably of sheet metal, are attached at theinner surfaces of the casing side walls ID for supporting the stripfeeding mechanism in operative position. These brackets also providesupports for the covers l9 and 20. Each of the supporting brackets 29 issupported in spaced relation with the casing walls l0 and are attachedto the latter so as to form with the walls a boxlike reinforcementstrengthening the wall structure so as to assure the structural strengthrequired for supporting the feeding mechanism and other operative parts.The attachment of each bracket is effected by a plurality of rigidattaching means, including a mounting stud 30 anchored in the bracketand the adjacent side plate ID, a rivet 3|, and the bearing 32 in whichthe feed shaft 2| is rotatably mounted. Each bearing 32 is welded orotherwise firmly attached to the bracket plate and is anchored at itsouter end in an opening in the adjacent casing wall H). In this mannereach bracket or bracket plate 29 is firmly supported in position to forma rigidified supporting structure.

Each bracket 29 has an inwardly offset supporting plate 33 integraltherewith and substantially parallel to the casing side walls and havingan upper attaching lug 34. Each bracket plate 29 also carries two pinsor lugs 35 positioned at either side of the attaching stud 30 forcooperation with the latching arms or brackets on the forward andrearward covers, as later described.

The roll carrier or housing 24 is provided at each of its opposite endportions with a supporting arm 36 attached at one end to the housing andextending downwardly and forwardly there from and being pivoted as at 31to the adjacent offset supporting plate 33 of the adjacent bracket 29.The roll housing'is thus supported in operative position and can beswung upwardly away from operative position on the supporting arms 36 toprovide for easy threading of the record strips into operative relationwith the feeding mechanism. Compression springs (not shown) arepreferably mounted in the housing as set forth in the Sheppard et al.patent mentioned above, for yieldingly urging the feed roll'intofrictional strip gripping relation with the feed disks 22. The rearcover l9 has attached thereto a pair of combined mounting lugs andlatches 38,and the forward cover 20 has attached thereto a pair ofsimilar mounting lugs and latches 39. The cover supporting lugs orbrackets 38 and 39 are pivotally connected at 40 to the correspondingparts or end walls of the roll housing 24. Both of these covers can thusbe swung upwardly away from their normal closing positions upon the rollhousing which thus provides a support for covers. i l.

Each of the cover supporting brackets 38 and 39 is provided with alatching extension 4| forming a latching shoulder for engagement withthe respective latching pins 35 mounted upon the respective brackets 29as above described. Thus when the roll housing 24 is swung downwardly onits supporting arms 36 into normal operative position, as seen inFigures 4 and 5, the forward and rearward covers can then be swungdownwardly upon their mounting pivots 40, thus causing the latchingextensions 4| to engage with the latching pins 35 to lock the rollhousing firmly in its normal closed position in which the feed mechanismis effective to feed the strips. The cover I9 is held in its operativeposition by a latch 42, and the cover 20 is held in its closed positionby a locking device 43.

When it is desired to gain access to the interior of the register, asfor threading the record strip assembly i5 into operative position inthe feeding mechanism, both covers l9 and 20 will be swung upwardly ontheir pivots 40, thus freeing the latches 38, 39 from the latch pins 35and releasing the supporting arms 36 for the roll housing. Said housingcan then be swung forwardly with its supporting arms 36 on the pivotalmounts 31,-

thus moving the feed roll 23 away from the feed disks to provide ampleclearance for threading the strips through the feeding mechanism.

A strip guiding and separating plate 44 is attached in operativeposition just beyond the feed roll housing and is secured in positionupon the attaching lugs 34 of the brackets 29. The plate 44 acts as adeflector and separator for separating the file strip going into thefile compartment. from those that are issued above the forward cover 20.The deflector plate 44 is normally positioned substantially in the planeof the cover 29 in an opening 20a in the rear edge thereof. The stripsthat are deflected above the cover plate are severed along appropriatetransverse severance lines thereof. This can be done by utilizing theforward lower edge of the roll housing as a tearing edge for the strips.

As shown in Fig. 3, supporting collars 45 having set screws may bepositioned on the feed shaft 2| adjacent to each of its opposite endsfor retaining it in its normal operative position. An operating crank 46having an operating handle is mounted on the exterior end of the feedshaft. A spring pressed retractable stop 4'! cooperates with theoperating crank 46 to confine operation of the feed shaft to a singlerevolution constituting a feed cycle for feeding the strips in definiteform or sheet lengths in the usual manner. The

stop 41 is depressed inwardly against the pres-- sure of its spring tofree the crank arm 46 at the beginning of each feed cycle. The feed roll23 is driven in unison with the feed disks 22 by a toothed gear 48 onthe feed shaft meshing with a pinion 49 on the feed roll.

At the rear of the strip feeding mechanism is a platen supportingbracket 50 spaced above the casing bottom and preferably in the form ofan angle bar of sheet metal as shown, having angularly disposedsupporting extensions 5| positioned for engagement in supporting straps52 riveted to the interior surfaces of the casing sidewalls ID. Thesupporting bracket has upwardly extending supporting plates 53 attachedto the upper flange of the bracket 50. A supporting bar 54 is rotatablymounted on the under side of the platen I! having oppositely disposedlinks or arms 55 pivoted to the upper supports 53. Thus it will be seenthat the platen can be swung forwardly anddownwardly upon its supportinglinks 55 to operative position, shown in Fig. 4 in which it is supportedby the supports 53 and the partition plates l3a, and it can also beswung upwardly and rearwardly as indicated in Fig. 7. When the platen isthus moved rearwardly its rear end is supported upon the upper edge ofthe end wall H of the casing in position for convenient threading of therecord strips through the guiding and controlling means. Also theforward end of the platen is retracted to make ample clearance forthreading therecord strips into the feeding mechanism.

The controlling cam 28 for the folding finger, as shown in Fig. 4, isprovided with a supporting attachment 55 connected toa supporting plate51 mounted on the upper fiangeof the bracket 50. Also the bracket 50forms a support for the partition l3 which is connected thereto by anattaching device 58.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction anddifierent embodiments of theinvention'could be made without departingfrom the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in theabove description or shown in the accompanying drawings will beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In a machineof the character described, in combination, a feed rollcarrier, means movably mounting said carrieron the machine for movementto and from operative position, a forward and a rearward cover for saidmachine, and connections. pivotally mounting each said cover on saidmovable feed roll carrier.

2. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a feed rollcarrier, means movably mounting saidcarrier on the machine for movementto and fromo'perative position, a forward and a rearward cover for saidmachine, connections pivotally mounting each said cover on said movablefeed roll carrier, and a plurality of connecting means for holding saidroll carrier in operative position, each connecting means beingoperatively connected to one of said pivoted covers.

3. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a feed rollcarrier, means movably mounting said carrier on the machine for movementto and from operative position, a forward and a rearward cover for saidmachine, connections pivotally mounting each said cover on said movablefeed roll carrier, a casing for said machine, a pair of interiorbrackets connected to and supported respectively by the opposite casingwalls, and supporting arms included in said carrier mounting means andconnected to and supporting said roll carrier and respectively pivotedto said brackets.

4. In a machine of the character described, in

ment to and from operative position, a forward and a rearward cover forsaid machine, connections pivotally mounting each said cover on saidmovable feed roll carrier, a plurality of connecting means for holdingsaid roll carrier in opererativeposition, each connecting means beingoperatively connected to one of said pivoted covers, a casing for saidmachine, a pair of interior brackets connected to and supportedrespectively by the opposite casing walls, and supporting arms includedin said carrier mounting means and connected to and supporting said rollcarrier and respectively pivoted to said brackets.

. 5. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a feedroll carrier, means movably mounting said carrier on the machine formovement to and from operative position, a forward and a rearward coverfor said machine, connections pivotally mounting each said cover on saidmovable feed roll carrier, a casing for said machine, a pair of interiorbrackets connected to and supported respectively by the opposite casingwalls, supporting arms included in said carrier mounting means andconnected to and supporting said roll carrier and respectively pivotedto said brackets, and a strip guiding and separating plate positionedbeyond said feed roll carrier and connected to and supported by saidbrackets.

6. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a feed rollcarrier, means movably mounting said carrier on the machine for movementto and from operative position, a forward and a rearward cover for saidmachine, connections pivotally mounting each said cover on said movablefeed roll carrier, a casing for said machine, a pair of interiorbrackets connected to and supported respectively by the opposite casingwalls, supporting arms connected to and included in the said mountingmeans for said roll carrier and respectively pivoted to said brackets, afeed roll mounted on said carrier, a rotary feed shaft having feed diskscooperating in strip feeding relation with said feed roll, and bearingsattached to said brackets for rotatably mounting said feed shaft.

'7. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a feed rollcarrier, means including supporting arms on said carrier for movablymounting said carrier on the machine for movement to and from operativeposition, a forward and a rearward cover for said machine, connectionspivotally mounting each said cover on said movable feed roll carrier, acasing for said machine, a pair of interior brackets connected to andsupported respectively by the opposite casing walls, said carriersupporting arms being respectively pivoted to said brackets, a stripguiding and separating plate positioned beyond said feed roll carrierand connected to and supported by said brackets, a feed roll mounted onsaid carrier, a rotary feed shaft having feed disks cooperating in stripfeeding relation with said feed roll, and bearings attached to saidbrackets for rotatably mounting said feed shaft.

8. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a feed rollcarrier, means including supporting arms on said carrier for movablymounting said carrier on the machine for movement to and from operativeposition, a forward and a rearward cover for said machine, connectionspivotally mounting each said cover on saidmovable feed roll carrier, acasing for said machine, a pair of interior brackets connected to andsupported respectively by the opposite casing walls, said carriersupporting arms being respectively pivoted to said brackets, a feed rollmounted on said carrier, a rotary feed shaft having feeddisks'cooperating in strip feeding relation with said feed'rolLandbearings attached to said brackets for rotatably mounting said feedshaft, said bearings having direct supporting connection with therespective casing walls.

9. In an autographic register, in combination, a casing having wails ofsheet material, a feed mechanism having a feed shaft and a feed rollcarrier, interior supporting brackets connected to and supportedrespectively by opposite casing walls, said supporting brackets beingrespectively inwardly spaced from the respective casing walls andconnected thereto at three disaligned points to provide a box-likereinforcement, supporting bearings respectively carried by said bracketsand rotatably mounting said feed shaft, and means for mounting said rollcarrier on said supporting brackets.

10. In an autographic register, in combination, a casing having walls ofsheet material, a feed mechanism having a feed shaft and a feed rollcarrier, interior supporting brackets connected to and supportedrespectively by opposite casing walls, said supporting brackets beingrespectively inwardly spaced from the respective casing walls andconnected thereto at three disaligned points to provide a box-likereinforcement, supporting bearings respectively carried by said bracketsand rotatably mounting said feed shaft, said brackets having inwardlyoffset supporting lugs, means for mounting said roll carrier on saidsupporting brackets, and a strip guiding and separating plate positionedbeyond said feed roll carrier and connected to and supported by saidoffset supporting lugs of said brackets.

11. In an autographic register, in combination, a casing having walls, afeed mechanism having a feed shaft and a feed roll carrier, interiorsupporting brackets connected to and supported respectively by oppositecasing walls, said brackets having inwardly offset supporting platesspaced from the casing walls, supporting bearings respectively connectedto said brackets and having direct attachment with the respective casingwalls, said feed shaft being rotatable in said bearings, each of saidbrackets being spaced from the adjacent supporting casing wall andconnected thereto to form a box-like reinforcement, and means formounting said roll carrier on said offset plates of said supportingbrackets.

12. In an autographic register, in combination, a casing having walls, afeed mechanism having a feed shaft and a feed roll carrier, interiorsupporting brackets connected to and supported respectively by oppositecasing walls, said brackets having inwardly offset supporting platesspaced from the casing walls, supporting bearings respectively connectedto said brackets and having direct attachment with the respective casingwalls, said feed shaft being rotatable in said bearings, each of saidbrackets being spaced from the adjacent supporting casing wall andconnected thereto to form a box-like reinforcement, means for pivotallymounting said roll carrier on said offset plates of said supportingbrackets, and a strip guiding and separating plate positioned beyondsaid feed roll carrier and connected to and supported by said brackets.

13. In an autographic register, in combination, a casing having walls ofsheet material, a platen for receiving and supporting record strips, atransversely disposed supporting bracket including a structural flangedmember spaced above the bottom of the register and having at itsopposite extremities angularly disposed connecting plates, supportingstraps connected directly to the interior surfaces of said casing wallsand receiving said connecting plates for supporting said supportingbracket, upper spaced supporting plates carried by and rising above saidsupporting bracket and spaced apart longitudinally of said bracket, saidspaced plates forming upper supports upon which said platen rests innormal operative position, and spaced supporting links connected to saidplaten and to said upper spaced supporting plates so as to mount theplaten for bodily movement into normal operative position or intoposition for strip threading.

14. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a feed rollcarrier, means movably mounting said carrier on the machine for movementto and from operative position, a forward and a rearward cover for saidmachine, connections pivotally mounting each said cover on said movablefeed roll carrier, a feed roll mounted on said carrier, a casing forsaid machine having opposite walls, a pair of interior bracketsconnected to and supported respectively by the opposite casing walls, arotary feed shaft having a feed disk cooperating in strip feedingrelation with said feed roll, and bearings respectively attached to saidbrackets for rotatably mounting said feed shaft. I

CHARLES J. MANUEL.

